Ellen Ingraham: No reason to trust Orcem

Wednesday, February 7, 2018

I’m not going to attempt to refute every point in letter writer Michael J. Haworth’s latest interminable letter (Feb. 4). Am I the only one weary of reading his nearly weekly lectures, full of anecdotal justifications for Orcem’s “slag processing facility”?

I will make a few points. Times have changed since Sperry Mills was in operation. The public’s awareness of pollution hazards has risen greatly over the years. Today’s informed citizens may well protest some aspects of a flour mill in that location.

Perhaps Dave Phinney didn’t consider the proposed Orcem site for his project because it wasn’t available due to the lengthy Orcem vetting process. Sperry Mills is also a much larger site than Mr. Phinney requires for his proposed project.

That two south Vallejo residents appear excited about the Orcem project is small potatoes measured against the huge number of Vallejoans, from all parts of the city, who dread the possibility of this “slag processing facility” coming here, for many valid reasons. Orcem would hold Vallejo to a 60-year commitment that spans three generations, for their facility.

Meanwhile, Orcem’s “agreement” allows it an escape from any obligation to continue producing the “greener” product that so enthuses Mr. Haworth. Regarding Mr. Haworth’s exhortation to “trust me,” the fact that he had lunch with Orcem’s top honcho and ostensibly left convinced of the value of their project is no reason for trust. May as well ask us to trust the “Orcem 4.”